A number of backstop assemblies have been known whose object is to slow down projectiles fired into them along a specified distance until they drop to the ground. For example, German Patent 31 31 228 discloses a backstop assembly in which multiple panels are vertically spaced from each other in two rows so that zigzag passages are formed between the panels of the rows where projectiles are bounced back and forth until they have slowed down enough to drop to the ground. DE-OS 32 12 781 discloses another backstop assembly wherein a container holds a granulate bonded by a bonding agent into a lumped structure, of which the objective also is to slow down projectiles fired into the granulate.
One drawback of the prior granulate-type backstop assembly is that it is difficult to dispose since the projectiles fired into the bonded granulate are retained thereby, i.e. they become part of the bonded granulate. As a consequence, removal of the projectiles is possible only by disposing the bonded granulate together with the projectiles embedded therein. Thus the quantities to be disposed of per unit backstop operating-time are relatively high. Further, a major effort and considerable expense are needed to separate the bonded granulate from the projectiles embedded therein.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved backstop assembly of the kind specified above so that projectiles may be disposed in a simpler and more efficient manner.